Could it get any worse?
by Ryou is my Man
Summary: Jounouchi is feeling pretty bad about something, but what??? R+R
1. The Beating

Could it get any worse???  
By Ryou is my Man  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh  
Chapter 1: The Beating  
  
It was a normal day and Jounouchi just woke up. An alcohol stench lingered around in the air as he folded up his blanket and put it under his pillow. Jounouchi didn't have very much in his room, a TV and VCR to keep him occupied , his backpack, his school uniform which sat next to his backpack and his outfit that he wore everyday.   
  
Jounouchi grabbed his school uniform and went into the bathroom. He took off his pajamas and looked in the mirror to reveal that his arms were bruised and so was his chest. This was from the occasional beatings he got from his father.   
  
After his shower, he slipped on his school uniform and went in his room to get his backpack. He quietly went down to the kitchen and looked in the cupboards, but they were bare.   
  
"Oh, great he moved them…again." Jounouchi muttered to himself as he frantically looked for something…but what? He finally found it, it was a box of granola bars.   
  
Jounouchi held it up side down and one granola bar came out. Jounouchi depended on at least 2 granola bars to get him through the day, but there was only one, meaning that he wouldn't have a lot of strength today…but still he couldn't let his friends know about his life.   
  
Sure he ate big feasts in front of them, but he would eat even when he passed full to show his friends that he was okay and that people didn't need to worry about him…the food never did uphold for long.   
  
He opened the fridge to reveal a bottle of water that was half full. He then quietly made his way to the door and opened it, he took one look at his father who was passed out on the floor and was surrounded by beer bottles then he left and did his paper thingy and made his way to school. On the way he kept on thinking 'He's a good father, deep down inside I know he's good…I just know it.'   
  
Jounouchi had to keep his life a secret from his friends…from everyone. If people knew…he couldn't bear the thought. He finally got to the school and opened the doors to the entrance. He saw his friend Yuugi and he was smiling at Jounouchi.   
  
Jounouchi opened his locker and while taking out his books while Yuugi looked at Jounouchi in concern, "What's wrong?" Yuugi asked Jounouchi seeing his eyes and the pain inside of them…but no! Jounouchi couldn't let him know! So, he put a fake smile on like everyday and said "Nothing, nothing at all. Come on, let's go to class." He was in a lot of pain from the previous beating he got last night, but he refused to show it. If Yuugi found out, he might not want to be friends anymore…the fear of people finding out grew in him everyday.   
  
But his biggest fear…was doctors…yes, doctors, he didn't want them to find out about his bruises and his father. But he never went to the doctor very often, unless something was broken. He headed into the classroom, Anzu and Honda were playing a game of duel monsters, Honda was losing. He looked and saw Bakura and Seto also playing a game of duel monsters, Seto was losing and cussing up a storm about how Bakura was cheating and how Seto only has 100 life points.  
  
The day was going pretty good, during class he found himself rubbing his arms and trying to get the pain out them, Yuugi noticed this. At lunch Jounouchi took his granola bar out from his jacket pocket and broke it in half and started to nibble on his granola bar while he worked on his homework. Yuugi then came over and asked "What's wrong Jounouchi? I saw you rubbing your arms in class today."   
  
Jounouchi looked really nervous when he asked that, Yuugi knew that there was something wrong with Jounouchi, but what? Jounouchi knew that if he found out what is happening at home, he would be in big trouble…so, he couldn't tell him, no matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't. So, he looked in Yuugi's eyes which were filled with worry and concern and said "Everything's okay, everything is fine." Jounouchi said trying to convince Yuugi that he was okay but instead Yuugi said "I think you're hiding something from me…" he looked at him, trying to get something out, but "No! Of course not!" Jounouchi said quickly trying to get rid of Yuugi's suspicion.   
  
Jounouchi ate the rest of his half of a granola bar and finished his homework then he headed to class and sat down in his desk and asked himself 'What if he found out? What if he found about my father beating me and my small meals?' Jounouchi bowed his head and hoped that Yuugi wouldn't worry. But a couple minutes later after lunch everyone came in and took their seats.   
  
"Today, we are going to start a project. Each of you will write down for every meal, every day. This project will be due on Monday; a week from today, I expect you to have it finished. I'll give you 15 minutes before the bell rings to start on today." The teacher said smiling as everyone got out a piece of paper and a pencil and got started on the project. Jounouchi couldn't tell the teacher what he ate everyday…she would send him to a doctor being concerned of his health. So he had to lie. He just had to make something up, that was all. But he didn't know what most people had for breakfast, knowing that he ate his granola bar at lunch and his other one after school.   
  
He knew that some people had eggs for breakfast and he knew that Yuugi had a hamburger for lunch, so he had lunch and breakfast covered, but now for dinner…hmm…steak? He decided it was okay. Now he just had to make the chart that the teacher wrote on the board and fill in the blanks. He copied down the chart then the bell rang, Jounouchi went to his locker and opened it up ad put his books in the locker and Yuugi, Honda, Anzu, Otogi, Seto, Aziza, Horus, Zahra, and Ryou went over to him and Yuugi said "All of us are going over to my house to work on the project, wanna come?"   
  
"Sure!" Jounouchi said, because if he passed it up then Yuugi would get even more suspicious, so he said yes… Everyone walked over to Yuugi's house and came in, Grandpa was running the game shop, so he didn't notice everyone coming in, and raiding the fridge until there was no more food in it, Jounouchi just walked in and started to work on his project, while he ate his other half of granola bar. After a while his project was done. In the Monday column in read: Breakfast: Eggs, Bacon, Milk. Lunch: Hamburger, fries, water. Dinner: Steak…uh……something else, more water. Hey it looked good enough to him.   
  
He looked at the clock and it read 8:00 P.M. "I gotta leave Yuugi! See ya tomorrow." Jounouchi said quickly as he ran to the door but Honda was there blocking it "What's the rush? It's only 8:00 P.M." Honda asked staring at Jounouchi.   
  
Jounouchi looked at him worried and said "I really got to get home!"   
  
Seto looked at him and asked "Why?" Jounouchi shook sadly thinking they'll never understand, his head before pushing Honda out of the way and before he left he just said "You wouldn't understand…" Then he ran out of the house while everyone gave each other suspicious looks, wondering what Jounouchi meant by that. But Jounouchi kept on running to his house, he opened the door slowly as a heavy stench of alcohol filled the air.   
  
Jounouchi quietly tried to head up the stairs, but was stopped by his dad. "It's about time you got home! You know how worried I was about you?! *Not sounding worried or concerned at all* You need to show some more respect to me! *Hits Jounouchi* Why were you late?!" He shouted at Jounouchi and Jounouchi said nervously "I was working on a project with his friends."   
  
"Friends?! For the way you act, you shouldn't have any! *He shouts throwing blows at Jounouchi.* From now on you'll be home on time! Is that understood?!" He shouted at Jounouchi. Jounouchi whimpered and wheezed out "Yes, sir." His father left the room and Jounouchi grabbed the stair rail and pulled himself up shaking, made his way to his room and grabbed the blanket and put it over his cold body and fell asleep with tears rolling down his cheeks. 


	2. Curiosity Arises

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh  
Chapter 2: The Curiosity   
  
Jounouchi woke up and it was Tuesday and it was raining really hard, he grabbed his clothes and took his daily shower, and put on his school uniform. He went down the stairs quietly and slowly. He went into the kitchen and grabbed his bottle of water which was only about one fourth of the way full and sighed because he knew that he had the last granola bar yesterday, and he didn't get paid until tomorrow. So, he just had to pass up on eating today… his dad was drunk and lied on the floor surrounded by beer bottles and cans.   
  
Jounouchi sighed thinking to himself 'Who would be stupid enough to have no job, no money, beats their kids and gets drunk all in one night?' Jounouchi grabbed a trash bag and started to pick up the cans and bottles.   
  
After that, he grabbed his backpack and went out of the door quietly. Yesterday Yuugi asked "Is everything was all right?" Jounouchi obviously said "Yes." Because he didn't want more trouble from his dad, I mean, yeah, he got occasional beatings every now and then and small meals but he thought that his dad was a good man and deep down inside he knew it. He couldn't tell anyone about his dad and his beatings, he could never tell anyone…and he never would.   
  
After he finished his paper route, as he walked to school there was pain in his arms from the previous beating from last night, but he continued to walk to the school until he met up with Anzu. "Hey, Jounouchi. I was just wondering what you meant last night." Anzu said to Jounouchi while he opened up his locker and took his books out.   
  
But Jounouchi remembered what he said last night he said "You wouldn't understand." but Jounouchi looked at Anzu's worried eyes and smiled and replied "Uh…I don't know what you're talking about Anzu…I was probably just kidding around, everything is fine, just fine!" Anzu and Jounouchi walked to their classroom and Anzu went over and watched Yuugi and Honda play a game of duel monsters. Who were surrounded by Aziza, Zahra, Horus, Seto, Anzu, Otogi, and Ryou were watching them play.   
  
So far Yuugi had 2000 life points and there was a Dark Magician on Yuugi's side of the field and on Honda's side there were three Kuribohs and Honda, well Honda has 100 life points. "Now, I'm going to do what no one's done before. I going to take this Polymerization Card and fuse it with my three Kuribohs to make The Six Eyed Annoying Kuriboh in attack mode." Honda said triumphantly   
  
"No! NOT THE SIX EYED ANNOYING KURIBOH! Well, I can still beat it. Dark Magician, Dark magic Attack! LO-ser! LO-ser!" Yuugi said trying to annoy Honda but Jounouchi ignored them and sat down and put his backpack next to his desk and started to look out the window watching the rain fall silently , then he started to think 'What if they found out? I wonder what they know so far…'   
  
Jounouchi stared at the rain as paper airplanes flew above him, sending messages to their friends. Jounouchi looked over to see some kids drawing on the chalk board. Some people however were finishing off their homework and Jounouchi finished his homework last night.   
  
Jounouchi didn't feel too good knowing that he didn't have a granola bar after school yesterday like he was supposed to, so he felt sick at stomach. Yuugi and Anzu noticed this and wondered why he was acting like this, was something wrong with their friend? Yuugi didn't know what to say, but Jounouchi just sat there looking really pale and sick at his stomach. After a while the teacher came in and told everyone to take their seats.   
  
So everyone stopped what they were doing and stared to take notes and work on homework and listen to the teacher's lectures. At lunch, Jounouchi tried to focus on his homework and try to get finished, but he was too dizzy and too hungry to even start it.   
  
During lunch Honda came up to him and asked "Is everything alright? You've been looking pale today and I was worried about you. Is everything all right? *Jounouchi isn't able to respond because of his dizziness, so he just nods his head* I think you should see a doctor…" "No!! Everything's alright and I'm fine! Never better!" He said almost losing his balance and falling on the floor, but luckily Horus and Honda were able to catch him, Jounouchi felt dizzy but he didn't dare to admit that. So he just walked to class and sat down in his chair and finished his homework.   
  
Later after school he was feeling dizzier than last time. Jounouchi told Yuugi that he needed to go home so he wouldn't be able to come to his house that night. When Jounouchi got home he heard the phone ring, it was his boss. "I won't be able to pay you tomorrow after all, sorry." His boss told him. "That's all right."   
  
Jounouchi said he finished his project for the day. It read Breakfast: Bacon, milk. Lunch: Hamburger, water. Dinner: Tacos, water. Jounouchi went up stairs passing his father and took out the blanket and put it on his body and he put his head on his pillow and fell asleep. Next to Jounouchi lay three pictures, the first one of him and his friends, the second one was a picture before his parents got divorced and the last one was a picture of his sister Serenity, the person he worked so hard for to win the money at the tournament. 


End file.
